Zoysiagrass plant &#39;TM9&#39;

ABSTRACT

The present culivar TM9 ( Zoysia matrella  Merr.) advantageously has a growing rate of in terms of plant height less than half as compared with existing cultivars and requires mowing every 20 to 40 days during the summer so as to be maintained in fair condition and allows the amount of fertilizer to be reduced to almost less than half.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

The present invention relates to the species Zoysia matrella Merr.

Variety denomination: ‘TM9’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety ofZoysiagrass asexually reproduced and selected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Zoysiagrass cultivar(Zoysia matrella Merr.) named ‘TM9’.

Zoysiagrass is a popular lawn grass which has been widely used asgreening turf. The turf thereof, however, should be mown every 7 to 10days during the summer so as to be maintained in beautiful condition.Since the newly developed TM9 advantageously has a growing rate in termsof plant height less than half as compared with conventional cultivars,mowing is required every 20 to 40 days during the summer to maintainfair condition and the amount of fertilizer can be reduced to almostless than half. Therefore, labors and cost necessary for maintenance ofthe turf as well as clipping from lawn-mowing can be reduced.Furthermore, the cultivar can be readily grown in a place where alawnmower cannot be conveniently used, such as on a rooftop of abuilding.

In addition, it is expected that prevalence of TM9 facilitates greeningof the rooftop and schoolyard and leads to alleviation of heat islandphenomenon and reduction of the amount of CO₂.

For purposes of registration under the “International Convention for theProtection of New Varieties of Plants” (generally known by its Frenchacronym as the UPOV Convention) and noting sections 1612 of the Manualof Patent Examining Procedure, it is proposed that the new variety ofZoysiagrass of the present invention be named ‘TM9’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. 1 is a set of photographs comparing spikestems of control cultivarsand the present cultivar (TM9) (Left: Emerald; Middle: Winter Field;Right: TM9). Photographed on May 13, 2003 at Toyota Biotechnology &Afforestation Laboratory (located in Nishikamo-gun in Aichi Prefecture,Japan).

FIG. 2 is a set of photographs comparing leaf blades of controlcultivars and the present cultivar (TM9) (Left: Emerald; Middle: WinterField; Right: TM9). Photographed on Jul. 15, 2003 at ToyotaBiotechnology & Afforestation Laboratory (located in Nishikamo-gun inAichi Prefecture, Japan).

FIG. 3 is a set of photographs comparing grass shapes of controlcultivars and the present cultivar (TM9) (Upper: Emerald; Middle: WinterField; Lower: TM9). Photographed on Jul. 15, 2003 at ToyotaBiotechnology & Afforestation Laboratory (located in Nishikamo-gun inAichi Prefecture, Japan).

FIG. 4 is a set of photographs comparing stolons of control cultivarsand the present cultivar (TM9) (Upper: Emerald; Middle: Winter Field;Lower: TM9). Photographed on Jul. 15, 2003 at Toyota Biotechnology &Afforestation Laboratory (located in Nishikamo-gun in Aichi Prefecture,Japan).

FIG. 5 is a set of photographs showing full views of test field for thepresent cultivar (TM9) (Upper: Individually planted plot; Lower: Denselyplated plot). Photographed on Jul. 15, 2003 at Toyota Biotechnology &Afforestation Laboratory (located in Nishikamo-gun in Aichi Prefecture,Japan).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

1. Characteristics of the plant body of the present invention

1) Overview

Fifty thousand seeds of conventional Zoysiagrass cultivars wereirradiated with soft X-ray (in the year 2000), 500 individualsexhibiting short plant height as a pot seedling were selected from thegerminated individuals (in the year 2001), and 100 individuals wereselected from among these seedlings based on their growing properties asa pot seedling. They were planted in a field and an outdoor cultivationtest was initiated (in the year 2002). The present cultivar was obtainedafter completion of cultivation tests in various locations throughoutJapan (completed in the year 2004). Characteristics of the presentcultivar are as follows: creeping plant form; spikestem of medium-sizedthickness and short length; extremely dense stolons of medium-sizedthickness; leaves of very short length, narrow width and a thick color;a small number of spikelets; moderate initial growth; moderate plantvigor in spring and fall; medium (not early nor late) timing inspike-sprouting; spike-sprouting only in spring with a large number ofspikes; medium (not early nor late) timing in turning green; medium (notearly nor late) timing in turning red; good winter hardiness; goodsummer tolerance; medium shade tolerance; medium drought tolerance;medium salinity tolerance; medium tread pressure resistance.

2) Comparison with control cultivars Present cultivar Control cultivarItem Trait TM9 Emerald Winter Field 1 Plant form Plant form CreepingIntermediate Intermediate 2 Stem Thickness Medium Medium Medium of (0.9mm) (0.9 mm) (0.9 mm) spikestem Length of Short (3 cm) Short (3 cm)Short (3 cm) spikestem 3 Stolon Density of Extremely Medium to Medium tostolons dense dense dense Thickness Medium Fine to Fine to of stolon(1.3 mm) Medium Medium (1.1 mm) (1.0 mm) 4 Foliage Leaf Extremely Short(6 cm) Short to length short Medium (3 cm) (10 cm) Leaf width NarrowNarrow Narrow (1.6 mm) (1.7 mm) (1.6 mm) Leaf color Thick Medium Medium5 Spike Spike Short Short Short length (13 mm) (14 mm) (12 mm) SpikeThick Thick Thick color Spikelet Medium Medium Medium length SpikeletMedium Medium Medium width Number of Few Few Few spikelet 6 InitialInitial Medium Medium Medium growth growth 7 Plant vigor Plant ModerateModerate Moderate vigor in spring Plant Moderate Good Good vigor in fall8 Spike Beginning Medium Medium Medium -sprouting of spike - (not early(not early (not early time sprouting nor late) nor late) nor late) 9Spike Spike - Spike Spike Spike -sprouting sprouting -sprouting-sprouting -sprouting properties in only in only in only in spring/fallspring spring spring Number of Many Medium Medium spikes 10 GrowingTiming to Medium Medium Medium period turn green (not early (not early(not early nor late) nor late) nor late) Timing to Medium Medium Mediumturn red (not early (not early (not early nor late) nor late) nor late)11 Winter Good/Bad good good good hardiness in winter hardiness 12Summer Good/Bad good good good tolerance in summer tolerance 13 Environ-Shade Medium Medium Medium mental tolerance tolerance Drought MediumMedium Medium tolerance Salinity Medium Medium Medium tolerance 14 TreadTread Medium Medium Medium pressure pressure resistance resistance* Notes:Type of plant: lawnName of the applied cultivar: TM9Name or appellation of the assignee: Toyota Motor CorporationInventor: Kunio MatsuiAddress of the assignee: 1 Toyota-Cho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture,JapanCultivation site: Toyota Biotechnology & Afforestation LaboratoryNishikamo-gun in Aichi Prefecture, JapanPlace where characteristics research was conducted: Toyota Biotechnology& Afforestation Laboratory, Nishikamo-gun in Aichi Prefecture, JapanName of researcher who conducted characteristics research: Kunio MatsuiPeriod when characteristics research was conducted: 2002-2003Control cultivar (most approximate cultivar): Emerald3) Characteristics by which the present cultivar is distinguished fromthe control cultivarsa) Control cultivars

Emerald

Winter Field

b) Distinguishing characteristics

The present cultivar can be distinguished from Emerald in that thepresent cultivar has a creeping plant form (wheareas Emerald has anintermediate, i.e. semi-errect or semi-creeping plant form); extremelydense stolons (whereas Emerald has a medium to low stolon density);leaves of very short length (wheareas Emerald has short leaves) and athick color (wheareas Emerald has a medium leaf color); moderate plantvigor in fall (wheareas Emerald has a good plant vigor); and a largenumber of spikes (wheareas Emerald has a medium number of spikes).

The present cultivar can be distinguished from Winter Field in that thepresent cultivar has a creeping plant form (wheareas Winter Field has anintermediate, i.e. semi-errect or semi-creeping plant form); extremelydense stolons (whereas Winter Field has a medium to low stolondensisity); leaves of very short length (wheareas Winter Field has shortleaves) and a thick color (wheareas Winter Field has a medium leafcolor); moderate plant vigor in fall (wheareas Winter Field has a goodplant vigor); and a large number of spikes (wheareas Winter Field has amedium number of spikes).

4) Cultivation conditions for characteristic research experiment ofabove 1) to 3)

a Cultivation site: Toyota Biotechnology & Afforestation LaboratoryNishikamo-gun in Aichi Prefecture, Japan

b Cultivation time and period: 20 months from April, 2002

c Cultivation method (Examples: cultivation style such as on bareground, in a facility, field planting or pot planting, cultivationscale, etc.)

Pot seedlings reproduced by root separating were raised in greenhousefor two months and fix planted on bare ground in April along withcontrol cultivars in order to perform a characteristic researchexperiment. Five individuals (triplicates) were fix planted at a densityof one seedling per an area of 200 cm×200cm in an individually plantedplot while they were fix planted in triplicates at a density of oneseedling per an area of 15 cm×15cm in a dense plated test plot having anarea of 150 cm×150 cm thereby performing a characteristic researchexperiment.

2. Reproduction method

Vegetative propagation

3. Conditions of keeping and storage the plant having identifiablecharacteristics

Place where the plant is maintained and/or stored: Toyota Biotechnology& Afforestation Laboratory (located in Nishikamo-gun in AichiPrefecture, Japan)

Method of maintenance/storage: pot planting and ground planting

4. History of cultivating the present cultivar

1) Material of new cultivar

Mother: conventional cultivar(marketed cultivar cultivated in IbarakiPrefecture, Japan)

Father —

Family tree —

2) Cultivation site

Toyota Biotechnology & Afforestation Laboratory (located inNishikamo-gun in Aichi Prefecture, Japan)

3) History of cultivating the cultivar

Fifty thousand self-fertile seeds of conventional Zoysiagrass cultivars(raised in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan) were irradiated with soft X-ray inSeptember, 2000, and individuals exhibiting short plant height as a potseedling were selected from the germinated individuals. The thusselected lines were reproduced by root separation in May, 2001 and theuniformity of these vegetative propagated lines was respectivelyconfirmed in greenhouse by February, 2002. Newly root separated lineswere fix planted in a field in April, 2002. A line exhibiting a shortleaf length and a satisfactory initial growth was selected and thestability thereof was confirmed to complete the cultivating of the newcultivar on 20 Nov., 2003.

5. Main use of the present cultivar

The present cultivar can be used for ground covering of a park, garden,etc.

6. Other items in relation to the cultivation of the present cultivar

1) Applicable area

Warm area

2) Specific cultivation site in Japan

Address (Zip code: 470-0201):

Toyota Biotechnology & Afforestation Laboratory

No. 1099 Kurozasa-Marune, Miyoshi-machi, Nishikamo-gun, AichiPrefecture, Japan

Facility for travel: Meitetsu Toyoda line (Closest station:Miyoshigaoka)

3) Cultivation style: Normal cultivation

Bare ground

Seasons suitable for seeding, planting, etc.

Other reproduction method:

Vegetative propagation by stolons from the beginning of April to thebeginning of May/year round

Blooming season, harvest season, and any other seasons in cultivationstage suitable for specifying characteristics of the present cultivar

Blooming season: from the beginning to the end of May/year round

Greening season: from the end of April to the end of October/year round

4) Other items to be mentioned for the cultivation of the presentcultivar

The present cultivar is creeping in plant form and short in leaf length,which allows weeds readily to grow. Frequent weeding is thereforerequired.

5) Information about the cultivation technique and raising condition ofthe present cultivar is available from the below:

Address (Zip code: 470-0201):

Toyota Biotechnology & Afforestation Laboratory

No. 1099 Kurozasa-Marune, Miyoshi-machi, Nishikamo-gun, AichiPrefecture, Japan

Person in charge belongs to Biotechnology & Afforestation BusinessDivision (TEL 0561-36-8441)

Name: Kunio Matsui

7. Other Information

When the present cultivar is allowed freely to grow, the plant height(i.e. the height from the ground to the tip of the leaf blade) is asabout half as that of Emerald.

1. A new and distinct variey of Zoysia matrella Merr. named TM9illustrated and described in the present invention.